access control - the control of persons, vehicles and materials through entrances and exits of a protected area; an aspect of security that often utilizes hardware systems and specialized procedures to control and monitor movements into, out of, or within a protected area. Access to various areas may be limited to place or time, or a combination of both.
alarm assessor - a device or system that allows an operator of an alarm system to evaluate or assess a reported alarm. For example, alarm assessment can be made possible with the use of a CCTV system that permits visual observation at a protected area where a motion sensor has activated.
alarm station - any of a wide variety of switches that depend upon human operation for the reporting of an alarm condition. Examples include fire alarm pull stations, holdup alarms, and medical emergency alarms.
alarm system - a combination of sensors, controls, and annunciators arranged to detect and report an intrusion or other emergency.
background investigation - an inquiry into the background of an individual under consideration for employment, credit, access to sensitive assets (such as national defense information), and other reasons. A background investigation can vary widely, from merely checking prior employment experience and educational credentials to civil, criminal, and medical histories.
best practices - fundamental principles that add value to organizational performance; workplace behavioral standards that contribute to consistently excellent performance by employees and teams of employees; comparative research (i.e., benchmarking) that is intended to improve organizational performance. Best practices in the security field incorporate elements that have been found to be successful such as policy and planning as guides, work rules and procedures as directives, risk assessment, crime opportunity reduction, and training and re-training of employees.
bike patrol security - Bike patrol security personnel are able to quickly move over large areas quietly, while providing high visibility. Additionally, they are able to penetrate and pass through crowd situations easily, enabling responses where vehicles would be hampered. This is an excellent service tool to provide crime prevention support, removal of persons causing incivilities, and rapid patrol capabilities.
bomb sniffer - a dog trained to detect the presence of bombs; any mechanical, chemical, or electronic device used for the detection of bombs. Also called sniffer dog.
Canine(K9) security - the use of Canine(K9)s (dogs) in security, such as for guarding property, protecting people, and detecting drugs and explosives. See also drug dog, guard dog, attack dog.
card reader - a device for reading a card containing a code or signal; an intelligent reader that compares data on a card against preprogrammed parameters. Entry or exit is granted or denied by the card reader at the reader location.
Certified Protection Professional (CPP) - a professional designation to those who meet prescribed educational, experiential, and competency standards, and pass an exam based on a job analysis study. Administered by ASIS International and its Professional Certification Board.
closed circuit television (CCTV) - a television installation in which the signal is transmitted to a defined number of receivers.
commercial robbery - the theft or attempted theft of money or property from a commercial establishment, by force or threat of force.
computer security - a general term relating to measures designed to protect computer assets in all configurations.
contingency planning - problem solving before the fact; planning to counter emergencies or unexpected occurrences.
contract security - protective services provided by one company, specializing in such services, to another company on a paid, contractual basis.
covert surveillance - observation by a someone who is hidden from public view, usually to detect suspicious or illegal activity, and sometimes used by the police to aid in traffic enforcement.
crime prevention - a general term referring to law enforcement activities that operate under the assumptions that (1) potential crime victims must be helped to take action which reduces their vulnerability to crimes and which reduces the extent of injury or loss should crime impact on them, (2) potential crime victims are limited in the actions they are able to take because of their inability to effectively exercise control over their environments, (3) the environment to be controlled is that of the potential victim, not of the potential criminal, (4) the direct control that a potential victim can exercise over his own environment can reduce criminal motivation, (5) the absence of criminal opportunity means less temptation to commit crime and less chance that a criminal will develop criminal habits, (6) traditional approaches used by the criminal justice system, although response-oriented, do cause criminals to perceive personal risk and thus play an important role in preventing crime, (7) law enforcement agencies have a central but not dominant role in crime prevention, (8) many skill and interest groups in a community must act in concert if crime prevention is to have a comprehensive and lasting effect, (9) crime prevention activities can be both a cause and an effect of efforts to revitalize communities suffering from severe crime problems, (10) crime prevention doctrine is interdisciplinary in nature, is subjected to an ongoing process of discovery and change, and is useful to the extent that it is shared and applied, (11) crime prevention strategies and techniques are not absolutes because what succeeds in one situation may not succeed in other situations.
crime prevention program - a program that typically involves a wide range of projects and services that operate at three levels: (1) at the client level where the objective is to design crime risk management systems that meet the needs of homes, businesses, institutions, and other entities that are owned or managed by individuals or organizations, (2) at the multiple client level where the objective is to design crime risk management projects through which many citizens in neighborhoods, shopping centers, industrial areas, and similar localities can collectively work together to improve security, and (3) at the public policy level where the objective is to design crime risk management activities which units of government can carry out to improve security within a large jurisdiction and across jurisdictional lines.
dedicated vehicle - a patrol vehicle equipped with two-way radio communication that is used exclusively to provide quick responses to intrusions or alarms.
disaster preparedness - any series of actions intended to control and manage major incidents and bring them to the most satisfactory conclusion possible.
emergency - an event that threatens people, property, business continuity, or the community and may develop into a disaster or critical incident.
fencing - physical barrier installed to delineate a boundary or to deter, delay, or prevent unauthorized access to a protected area.
guard (security guard) - onsite security officer who comprises the response function in a physical protection system, and
information security - the protection of information against unauthorized disclosure, transfer, modification, or destruction, whether accidental or intentional; the effort or the result of a system of administrative policies and procedures established for identifying, controlling, and protecting information from unauthorized disclosure.
key control system - special cabinets, trays or enclosures that store keys in an organized system, and protect them from unauthorized removal.
layered security - a physical security approach that requires a criminal to penetrate or overcome a series of security layers before reaching the target. The layers might be perimeter barriers; building or area protection with locks, CCTV and guards; and point and trap protection using safes, vaults, and sensors.
physical security - that part of security concerned with physical measures designed to safeguard people, to prevent unauthorized access to equipment, facilities, material and documents, and to safeguard them against damage and loss.
pre-employment screening - a process for determining whether a prospective employee is trustworthy or capable of performing the functions required by the job.
private security agency - an independent or proprietary commercial organization whose activities include employee clearance investigations, maintaining the security of persons or property, performing the functions of detection and investigation of crime and criminals, and apprehension of offenders.
proximity card - an identity card containing a microcircuit. When placed in close proximity to a reader, the card will activate the reader's system, which might be an access control system, an automatic teller machine, or a point-of-sale transaction system. It does not have to be brought into physical contact with a reader.
quality assurance - the ensuring of high accuracy and reliability of tests.
risk assessment - identification of risks and vulnerabilities to persons, property, operations, or business function or activity, and evaluation of the importance of the function to the continuation of the operation or activity.
robbery prevention - a combination of techniques that seek to convince the potential robber that in the commission of robbery the personal risks will be high and that the possible gain will be low. Such techniques are for the most part designed for execution by retail businesses that are targeted by robbers.
security audit - the examination of a facility, a process, or the security program itself. A financial audit is an examination of those accounting records and practices which have material impact upon the financial condition of the enterprise. Also called security survey.
surveillance - the observation of a location, activity or person(s), usually done secretly.
sweep - search for the presence of electronic eavesdropping devices in a given area with the use of special detection equipment.
system audit - an audit of the controls throughout a computer system to evaluate their effectiveness and to recommend improvements.
systems analysis - the analysis of an activity to determine precisely what must be accomplished and how to accomplish it; a methodologically rigorous collection, manipulation, and evaluation of organizational data in order to determine the best way to improve the functioning of the organization (the system) and to aid a decision-maker in selecting a preferred choice among alternatives.
Systems management - the application of systems theory to managing organizational systems or subsystems. It can refer to management of a particular function or to projects or programs within a larger organization.